1. proposal
"You're doing it wrong, idiot."
Ichigo scowls. Of course she'd give him hell for this. After putting on a suit for her and trying to tame his unruly hair (which didn't work; the weird stuff Renji had given him sucked and made everything even worse), he really thought it would be easy.
But this is Rukia. With Rukia, nothing is easy. It's one of the reasons he's so drawn to her. Their personalities draw one another and mesh. She stopped the rain. He saved her life and made it bright once more.
"If it's so easy, why don't you do it?"
Rukia gives a girlish gasp and takes a tiny step back. She turns her shoulders away just slightly and clasps her hands to her chest.
"Why, I couldn't possibly!" she trills in a high-pitched voice. Ichigo grumbles. "After all, you're such a big, strong man! And I'm just a beautiful, innocent young maiden-"
"- not much of a maiden, if last night is any indication," Ichigo mutters under his breath. The moment the words are out of his mouth, he regrets it immediately.
He's pretty sure he'll have that lump on his head for a very, very long time.
2. freedom
Just before she dies, she sees him.
Of course, she remembers everyone else. But, in the end, it's Ichigo she remembers the most. The curve of his strong shoulders, and long, strong back that carried her so many times (in more than one way). She doesn't need to see his face; no, she's memorized it, memorized the crease in his brow and the hard planes and the deep, warm brown eyes that somehow manage to see what everyone doesn't – even if he doesn't show it.
If she is going to die, she's glad she had the chance to meet him, as short as their time together was. What counts is that she met him, and he knows she existed. And because of her, he can protect those he holds dear to his heart.
Freedom, she thinks, won't come this time.
And then he does.
3. regret
When he returns to the world of the living, Ichigo stands in the middle of his room. Without Rukia, it's somehow bigger and emptier. But everything is still the same. The same desk, same bed with quincy cover, the same guitar in the corner, hardly touched.
The same closet.
Ichigo hesitates with his hand on the door. He just be some kind of masochist to do this to himself. He knows she's safe and sound, that she's where she truly belongs.
His heart tells him differently. His heart knows that her home is here, with him. Ichigo frowns, and pulls the closet door open. Yuzu's pajamas are folded in a neat square in the middle of Rukia's bed, and there's a Chappy plushie that she begged him to get for her (it's worn, he notices, and he wonders what made her wear it out so easily in such a short amount of time), and those stupid period novels she read out loud to him despite his complaining.
When he looks back on it, he wishes he hadn't. He wishes he could turn back time and really talk to the woman who had saved not only his life, but his family's.
You stopped the rain, Rukia.
Ichigo sighs and closes his eyes.
He shuts the closet, and goes to bed.
4. heart
"Rukia, where do you think the heart is?"
Rukia closes her eyes.
It's not with her, now. But in its place, she has another.
5. growth
If Rukia were to be completely and totally honest, she would say that, yes, she's impressed by his strength. The scrawny, mouthy, obnoxious brat she met that faithful day has matured into a strong, mouthy, obnoxious... man.
He knows what he has to do. What he wants to do. She knows that.
And she'll never say it, but she's proud of him.
6. spark
One day, they kiss.
It's a stupid, impulsive thing they both do; Rukia is shocked at herself afterward. A Kuchiki doesn't through his or her emotions around. A Kuchiki is calm, controlled, a perfect mask of emotions. No Kuchiki would ever do such a thing (Ichigo later tells her that he's surprised she loosened up).
Ichigo apologizes immediately, and Rukia accepts it with burning cheeks and rumpled clothes. They agree never to talk about it again, never to do something like that ever again.
(Eventually, they slip up and let themselves surrender to their hearts.)
7. shift
At some point in those few months, something shifts between them. It's subtle, but very real and very there. Ichigo and Rukia don't notice it until the night Rukia's taken away. It's enough, the tilting, to make Rukia shed tears for another man since Kaien-dono, and for it to rain inside Ichigo's inner world.
Everyone sees it – except for them.
In the Soul Society, though, their emotions run high.
Adrenaline.
Guilt.
Protect.
Regret.
Save.
Protect.
Instinct.
Love.
Love.
8. circle
It feels like déjà vu, a little bit. He's in the Soul Society again, to save Rukia. No one knows who he is: he is simply "ryoka boy." And she, she is powerless, helpless (but in a much different way).
When he approaches her, and she shows no recognition, he feels something inside of him break. Maybe it's his temper. Maybe it's his heart. But he knows one thing: he has to save her. That's how they do it. She saves him. He saves her. Around and around they go, cycle after cycle.
They don't care. They'd save one another a thousand times if they had to.
9. possession
In the night, sometimes, he visits her. Rukia isn't scared for herself. Rather, she's concerned about Ichigo. She knows this is what he dreads – the Hollow's taking over. She expects him to do something: leave, ruin Ichigo, hurt his family.
Instead, he sits and watches Rukia. That's all he does the whole night. It's unsettling, more unsettling than if he had done anything to her. He touches her, once: a fingertip along her arm, the nail scratching just gently. Rukia bites her lip, holds back a shudder.
He smiles. Rukia exhales, blinks, and he's gone.
10. comfort
At times, they comfort one another. More than kisses, but less than that. They touch each other; Ichigo's hands are strong and rough and warm, and he follows his instincts. He's never done this with anyone before, he tells her, and Rukia just smiles and assures him that it'll be alright. That he'll do more than fine. And he does. He manages to get her worked up with just the tips of his fingers and his lips on her mouth and neck. They're just ghosts of touches, but it stirs a fire within her she didn't know she possessed.
And for him, she's perfect. Her lips are pink and soft and warm and sweet. They do wonders on his neck and shoulders and his chest as they trace the fading scars. She pauses at them, chews on her bottom lip, feels guilty.
Ichigo shakes his head and pulls her up for a kiss.
Somehow, they lose themselves in just that.